Rays’ Gary Gill Hill Thrives With Change To Arm Slot

After watching the progress Gary Gill Hill made last season, it’s easy to see why the Rays are excited about the 20-year-old righthander’s progress and career track.

In spring training 2024, Rays staffers talked to Gill Hill about adjustments he should make to his delivery and arm slot heading into his first full season. The 2022 sixth-rounder out of the New York high school ranks was all ears.

“He took to those changes almost immediately, and we saw a player halfway through spring training who was so much better of a version of himself than he was in the FCL the prior year,” Rays assistant GM Kevin Ibach said.

Gill Hill carried that momentum into the season.

In 108.2 innings for Low-A Charleston he recorded a 3.15 ERA with 105 strikeouts and 27 walks. He started the RiverDogs’ playoff opener.

Also telling was how Gill Hill got there by buying in fully to the suggested changes.

“Going to his first full-season level, the intent, the strike-throwing—not to mention the stuff—the maturity, just the way he carried himself was pretty impressive for a teenage prospect,” Ibach said. “But more so just because of where he came from a year ago.

“He took one of the biggest steps forward as anyone in the organization.’’

Gill Hill said the biggest difference was the tweaks he made to his arm slot. He went from sidearm to more of a three-quarters slot, which in turn increased his velocity.

Gill Hill said he was most pleased with how much he pitched, noting he had never worked more than 100 innings in a season at any level.

“Doing this for the first time felt really good,” he said. “And now I know what to expect (this) season, trying to do the same thing, so I can build out even more strength to get even more (innings) later on.’’

COOL RAYS

— Four of the Rays’ top prospects were first-time invitees to big league spring training: first basemen Xavier Isaac and Tre’ Morgan, outfielder Chandler Simpson and third baseman Brayden Taylor. Repeat invitees include catcher Dominic Keegan and shortstop Carson Williams.

— Former Rays player, minor league and major league coach Ozzie Timmons rejoined the organization as a special assistant in coaching development, where he will mentor younger coaches on how to interact with players and get the best out of them. The Tampa-area native also will work with players.

— The Tampa Bay Times reported another longtime Rays staffer, former minor league manager and major league coach Charlie Montoyo, will be rejoining the team in a player development role. Montoyo managed the Blue Jays from 2019 to 2022.